Thursday, January 09, 2014

Giant Hexie Quilt Love

[sew and snuggle].



I have giant hexie quilt fever. 


Its almost an exact replica of my last Blueberry Park-inspired hexie quilt, the one that got away, but with more low-volumes in it and a touch of cream with the teal/gray combo. And of course the pop of cherry-rosie-pinky-make-me-feel-happy red. Which really does make me feel happy.


Hello Anna Maria Horner backing. I still love you. That's why I scooped up yards and yards of you and your cousin in red. She's next on the chopping block. Quilt backology is an art unto itself I am finding ...




Just add lots and lots of children and you've got a recipe for warm snuggles in the winter. 

And maybe a book for the quiet times? This week I've been captivated by God's Smuggler, my New Year's attempt to have an inspirational spiritual classic on the go most of the time. Oh, I love this book!! You could read this aloud to your kids, I think, at least there is nothing so far that is not appropriate. There are two things I love about this book: first, reading about the countless incidents where God works incredible miracles and how Brother Andrew responds. Second, this was a bit of a personal wake-up. Andrew describes his time at the Evangelization Center headquarters, and how they all get up very early to have quiet time with God, pray, read Scripture, and so on. Hey, I've read about people like this many many times, and I have friends like this who are disciplined and get up early (as in, before the kiddos wake up), to have a Holy Hour with the Lord. I've always thought how good that sounds. Yet I've considered myself *exempt* in a way, because my kids get up early enough as it is, I often stay up late to recharge my own batteries in the peaceful quiet, so as a result I fit in my "prayer" time whenever and however I can during the day. Its never a quiet time with God except of course for night prayer. Reading this excerpt however, it just struck me. If they are getting up early to centre their day on Christ, well gosh, why on earth can't I? I mean, I love the Lord, passionately, just like them. It made me think maybe I'm not so exempt. They have no special gene that makes the getting up easier. 

So it all has made me rethink very carefully what I'm called to do right now. I'm not naturally a morning person but once I'm up, its all good. I wonder if I could sustain this kind of habit. I don't have a lot of confidence in myself to do this. The spirit is willing but the flesh is just so weak, and the snooze button is well-used. 

Lets just say, it all struck me and stood out for me. So I'm contemplating. Contemplating is a very good start I think.



Linking up to Elizabeth's needle and thREAD. Go and check it out, always lots of fun over there.



5 comments:

  1. BRAVO!!!! Fabulous! wow! How are you doing all this sewing?! I am just having so much trouble fitting it all in... When I can manage to sew, I am plugging away at my blasted paper pieced quilt. The end is finally in sight. I persevere, because when I finally get it finished - it will be amazing, I think!

    You know - I do the same thing (although, I DO think some people have a get up early gene ;-) I just enjoy down time at night more than quiet time in the morning, if I'm totally honest : /
    I've recently read 2 things regarding getting up early. The first said to practice - essentially TRAIN yourself. Get into jammies, or whatever you sleep in, set an alarm for just a few minutes and lie down and close your eyes. When the alarm goes off, get up and go through your morning routine. repeat.repeat.repeat.
    I haven't done this.... but the premise is that you can make the getting up, rather than hitting the snooze a habit.
    The other article I read talked about how most people say to go to bed and get up at the same time every day - but how we are not always tired at 'x' time, so we actually take longer to get to sleep, making up more tired, etc. He said to set an alarm and get up at the same time, but only go to bed when you feel sleepy. BUT you have to fight the temptation to stay up just a little longer ;-) if you are a natural night owl, and truly go to bed when you begin to feel tired. You may be real tired for a few days, but soon (in theory) if you are getting up when you are 'supposed to' - you will be tired earlier, therefore go to bed earlier and it'll all level out. I've been kinda trying to do this.....

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    1. I do think this is totally a combination of diligence and desire. My husband, in the 22 years we have been married, has gotten up at 5am (at the latest) every morning and usually hits the gym first thing, no matter what. I'm so glad I'm married to him, because at least he's one example the kids have of 'doing what needs to be done and just doing it', you know? I really like the idea of training in the habit of rising at a specific time every single morning.

      Time to sew and quilt? It definitely goes in spurts for me. In this case, I had lots of hexies left over from the last quilt and I knew I wanted to make them up while it was still fresh in my brain. And, its not a huge quilt either. Sewing is almost always a few hours on the weekend that my husband donates to my health, and then a few evenings once the kids are in bed. And with Tom travelling and away a lot of the time, those sewing evenings are my recharge time.

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    2. I should add that I do rise at the same time each morning in order to prepare for the school day ahead, but its at the same time as all the kids. What I need to is to carve out a morning prayer time for myself sans enfants.

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  2. p.s.I LOVE the top photo! Love it!!

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  3. What a beautiful quilt! I've been doing little hexies. I need to graduate to big. I love your colors. So fresh!

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